The Treadwell Group of Mines

Within the early parts of 1881, the Treadwell Claim was located by a group of San Fransico Capitalists who had first started development on the property. Mining was rather done at a large scale when four adit tunnels became driven into the ledge which disclosed a large body of low grade ore within Douglas Island, Alaska, United States. Within this time period the company had also erected a 5-stamp mill which was in operation, and producing a large shipment of bullion that was shipped in 1882. For the most part, this was rather reported to have been the first mining operation in quartz veining to have taken place within the district, and staking rush was now on. By this time most of the mining activity was largely focus on placer mining, and over $60,000 of gold was produce from 1881 to 1883.

Further changes were made when the claims belonging to John Fry, James Freeborn, and John Treadwell had establish the Alaskan Milling, and Mining Company. Within 1882, the three part time prospectors had done experimental milling in which had proven very satisfactory towards outlining the true assays, and millheads at the time. Operations within the 5-stamp mill had use large size iron hammers in order to crush up the ore in order to obtain the free gold from it. Many other machinery became apart of this which included screens, amalgamation tables, Conveyor Belts, and water became important components towards this milling facility. After completing the required testing it became reported that the company had removed the 5-stamp mill to replace it was a much larger 150 stamp milling facility. Gold on the Treadwell Lode Property was first discovered by placer mining till a quartz vein that was 400 feet in width became uncovered. It was soon noted that the quartz vein had carried much of the free gold with it, and was also associated by an auriferous pyrite bearing material.

It was in 1887, when large scale stamp mill became developed within the small unincorporated village of Treadwell, Dougals Island, Alaska, United States. The first of these stamp mill developments had taken place at the historical Treadwell Lode Mine that was a high tonnage underground operation in Douglas Island, Alaska. By this time, the company had additionally erected a 150 stamp mill towards its operation, and an additional 120 stamps were added to increase the mill to 270 stamps. Before any underground work was done, it became reported that this area was once a major gold placer mining district before ore became discovered in paying quantities. Much of the gold that was obtained in placer mining operations was rather considered to have been quite fine, but had been rough, and unworn in character. For the most part, it became reported that these placer mining operations were rather located at the top of the large ore mass it self. Other areas that placer mining had taken place was on steep slopes in which held paying quanties of gold that ran down the outcrop to the shore line. Upon examination it was revealed by stripping away at the rock that a large ore mass had been outlined by drifting on it for total thickness of 400 feet. Development which was undertaken on this mass of ore had followed it in northwesterly direction, and had been parallel to the shore on the eastern side of Douglas Island. It was within that time period when further examinations had revealed that this ore-body had also been bounded to the northeast and southwest by darker slaty argillites Further geological examinations had also escalated on the northeast side, and was in vicinity to the Treadwell Lode Property. Ore within this geological section of the property had been bounded by a zone of about 70 feet in thickness of greenish Schistose Slate that covered the northeast extension to the Treadwell Lode Mine. These ore-bodies are largely known to be associated with mineralized albite-diorite that come in the form of intrusive dikes, of black slates in which they are closely known to follow. In many cases, these slates are known to also be metamorphosed shales, in which both bedding, and slaty structures strike northwest-southeast, and dip to about 050 degrees on average. Greenstone within the area is largely found on the hanging wall is known to strike the shore of the island at about 1 mile below the Ready Bullion Mine. From here, it rather runs inland before going back to a point below high water just beyond the exposure .of the southernmost body of diorite within the open pits at the Ready Bullion Mine. At this point the greenstone is known to travel steeply where it then reappears at the Mexican Lode Mine. Much of the greenstone from here is known to extend in a straight line towards the Seven Hundred Foot, and the Treadwell workings before traveling several miles beyond that point. Assaying which was done on the greenstone had showed significant results in gold value that average $6 per tonne in 1887.

A historical moment was made in 1889, when the newly incorporated Alaska Treadwell Mining Company had bought out John Treadwell's interested for a whooping $4,000,000.

Power within the operating year of 1890, was rather furnished by a 180 horsepower engine that was supplied with the much needed steam from two safety boilers. Much of the output within this time period was consumed through local markets, and chiefly in the construction of newly developed quartz mills, and other mining buildings. Necessary logging during this time period was largely known to have costed the company $6.00 per 6,000 feet, in which were towed by booms to the mill by steam tug. Lumber at the time had roughly sold at $16 per one thousand feet, and dressed lumber was sold a net profit cost of $22 per one thousand feet. Most of the logs were delivered by a locomotive tramway that connected the saw mill with the company's processing plant at one point in time. Douglas was rather a small native settlement with a population of 306 aboriginal who resided here, and the Alaska Treadwell Mining Company had employed 50 of these Aboriginals as labours at $2 per day in 1890. At the time, it was rather reported that Douglas was a native town with a few business homes, two school buildings, and a few resident cottages within its small size community. Most of the mining operations had also been within distance of the small Native community of Douglas within this time period of operating.

By 1891, the Alaska Treadwell Mining Company had also additionally financed a new mining project owned by the Alaska Mexican Gold Mining Company. Development planning at the time was focus on engineering a plan to built the large low tonnage Mexican Gold Mine that was situated not to far from the Treadwell Gold Property. .

Even more changes were shortly after made when the company had continued to sink the No. 1 Shaft to a depth of 1,250-feet below the surface in 1905. Other plans at the time were aimed at cutting, and stationing the newly developed 1,250-foot level towards the Treadwell Lode Mine Project on Douglas Island, Alaska, United States. There was also a 200-foot interval that was establish between this level, and one above the 1,050-foot level. which was to be maintained at all times. Examinations on the 1,050-foot level had observed no changes in the ore-body in which was entirely within a slate formation and had decreased to a width of 10 feet on the upper levels. Even more work was done when the floor of the open pits was 600 feet below the surface, and not much more work could be done as the weakening slate walls had curtailed development at further depths.Extraction costs within the open-pit operation had rather stayed equal to the cost of mining ore underground in some of the larger stope sections. Production which was achieved during the operating year of 1905, had rather amounted to 876,234 tonnes of ore that became treated within the company's milling facility.

Shaft sinking at the Treadwell Lode Property had continued in 1906, when the No. 1 Shaft had reach a depth of 1,500 feet below the surface. As development had continued the company would also cut a new level on the mines 1,450 foot level. Lateral development within this time period was also confined to opening up the 1,050, and 1,250-foot levels at the time. Some changes were also notice with the characteristic of the ore-body at even greater depths while sinking the No. 1 Shaft to 1,500 feet below the surface. It was also during 1906, when an open-pit operation was started, and had reach the 350 foot level of the main adit zone of the Alaska Treadwell Lode Mine Project. Ore from this open-pit had been largely mined close to the walls, and had increase production within the Treadwell Lode Property. Most of the ore that was milled within the operating year of 1906, had came from stope sections within the 600, 750, 900, and 1,050-foot levels of the Alaska Treadwell Lode Mine. Production in 1906, had rather amounted to 889,411 tonnes of ore, in which had yield a gross recovery value of $1,902,455 in gold bullion that year.

By 1907, the company was well off with it project when the Treadwell Gold Mine became advanced on the 1,050, 1,250, and 1,450 foot levels. Most of this development was being done at an even scale when 450 feet of lateral development was done on these levels. Shaft sinking at the Treadwell Gold Project had also advanced when it was continued to a depth of 1,650 feet below the surface. Production that came from the mine was mainly dreived from the 750 and 900-foot level of the No. 1 Treadwell Shaft Operation. It was also within this time period when the 990-foot level became extended in order to connect with the 1,050-foot level of the Treadwell Mine from the Seven Hundred Foot Gold Mine. Much of this lateral development work had advanced further when new levels were cut on the 880, and 990-foot levels. Ore which was mined from this section of the Treadwell Property had also been shipped to the Mexican Mine Mill that was also finance by the company. Other plans at the time were also being aimed at remodeling the 100 stamp mill at the Seven Hundred Foot Claim in order to process the ore in the future.

Some more engineering problems had occurred during 1908, when the Alaska Treadwell Mining Company was focus on providing the much needed water supply to run it's production. Water generating at the time was taken from Lake Turner which was on the east side of Taku Inlet, and have converted into the much need power supply to run the Treadwell Lode Project. Most of this project had required the development for a dam at the mouth of Lake Turner, and would provide an elevation of 65 feet above tide water, and would produce 10,000 horsepower per an annual year. Development within the underground working was largely confined to extending the 1,450-foot level for deep explorations, and to extend the seven hundred foot, and Mexican Mines into the Treadwell Ground. Other preparations were also being made when the shaft below this level would additionally be inclined to follow the dip of the ore-body. It was also at this point in time when the 1,250-foot level was largely considered to have been partly developed as it became opened up on the ore-body. Ore that was mined within the operating year of 1908, had mainly been taken from large stopes on the 880 and 990-foot levels of the Treadwell Lode Project.

In accordance with further plans it was also stated that the seven hundred, Mexican, and Treadwell Lode Properties were on the same continuous ore zone. Plans at the time were being made towards switching hoisting shafts as the company wanted to use the seven hundred claim shaft as the main hoisting shaft operation. A contract was shortly after instated in regards to providing the necessary capabilities of hoisting 5,000 tonnes of ore within a 20 hour time period from a depth of 3,000 feet. This also would result in the engineering of a new gallows frame, and new crushing machinery with a larger capacity would then be added by 1911.

As 1911 had set in, this provide a new recorded as the Treadwell Group of Mines became the most productive operations within Southeastern Alaska, and within the whole entire territory. Development of the much need upgrades towards the surface buidling became made when a new hoisting plant, and crusher was completed in the operating year of 1911. Ore which was taken from the Treadwell Lode Project had mianly been taken from the 1,450-foot level, and a considerable amount of development was done on the newly establish 1,750 foot level. It was also at this point in time when the No. 1 Shaft was additionally sunk to a depth of 1,790 feet below the surface of the Treadwell Lode Project, Even far more development was aimed at connecting the Treadwell Lode Project with the Seven Hundred, and the Mexican Lode Mine Projects.

Mining at the Treadwell Lode Mine had continued to progress throughout 1913, when the mill had processed a total of 1,602,156 tonnes of ore. For the most part, the total gross value obtain from milling free gold had amounted to $3,743,944 in total, in which 1,739,417 was recovered from sulphide concentrates. A slight down fall had occurred during this time period when the Treadwell, Mexincan, and Seven Hundred Foot mines became flooded from the roaring tilde waves of ocean water, and it was only the Ready Bullion Mine that survived due to a bulk head enclosure.